Theatres are planning to switch to outdoor venues

Theatres are planning to switch to outdoor venues

Theatres are considering an “open-air comeback” for summer so shows can still go on but in an outdoor setting.

The Arcola in east London was one of the first major theatres to suspend all public performances in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Ben Todd, executive director at The sarcoma, has come up with a solution to allow shows to continue in summer which is to build an open air structure. 

The structure includes a stage, bar and will seat approximately 80 people.

Ben Todd said: “Rather than sitting there praying for Covid to improve, [or] the government to allow us, and to hope that we can then suddenly move back indoors. Let’s do something proactive towards taking some control of our destiny.”

Hundreds of venues across the country already offer outdoor services or are considering switching to outdoors. 

In Grimsby, The Culture House has delivered a mixture of outdoor and indoor arts across north-east Lincolnshire since 2010.

In recent years, the company has increased its outdoor work. 

As director Charlotte Bowen says: “Outdoor arts is more accessible because it’s in democratic open spaces,”

“So it removes the barriers to engagement, which historically have been people not thinking something is for them, or that they can’t afford it.”

Due to the pandemic switching to social distanced, outdoor venues will offer stability to some venues as they will be safer for people to experience compared to being inside.

Venues will be able to carry on trading safely rather than having to close down and wait until national Covid cases decrease.

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